The Peoria Unified Governing Board approved three new courses for Peoria Unified high school students in the 2025-26 school year, providing new, rigorous academic offerings for students.
Pre-Advanced Placement (AP) Algebra 1, Pre-AP Geometry with Statistics and AP Psychology will be offered at Centennial High School beginning in the fall of 2025 and will roll out to all other Peoria Unified high schools in 2026.
Currently there are 350 Peoria Unified students enrolled in AP math courses. Adding pre-AP Algebra 1 across Peoria Unified’s high schools will allow the district to have the potential to positively impact up to 500 students per year. Pre-AP Algebra 1 will provide opportunities to 83 majors and 151 careers, including valuable positions such as civil engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, cybersecurity analysts, financial planners, and math teachers.
Pre-AP Geometry with Statistics will provide opportunities for careers in aerospace engineering, urban planning, investment banking, a statistician, physicist, industrial designer and our favorite, math teachers.
The field of psychology is ranked third among career fields selected by Peoria Unified students in their Education Career Plan (or ECAP) which they complete online annually. Currently, Peoria Unified offers four elective options under the umbrella of Humanities. Adding AP Psychology will support students with 60 different majors in 136 different careers, including serving as an occupational therapist, human resource professional, market researchers, forensic psychologists, criminal profilers, research analysts, organizational consultants, school counselors and special education teachers.
Curriculum for Pre-AP Algebra 1 and Pre-AP Geometry with Statistics courses are already covered by the existing Board adopted textbook that was approved in the 2023-24 school year. For AP Psychology, the Textbook Selection Committee is prepared to submit a recommended textbook to the superintendent to be put forward to the Peoria Unified Governing Board for consideration as a part of the history and social science curriculum adoption on April 24, 2025.
Last school year, students revealed a six-point gain in the percentage of students passing the advanced placement exams. The newly approved courses will help prepare students to have essential skills, enhance students’ college readiness, open doors to prestigious universities and connect them to lucrative career paths. These courses also allow students to earn college credit, resulting in cost savings, time savings, and a jumpstart on college and career success.
